The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority, has continued the advisory issued on March 18.

High concentrations of coarse particulates are expected to persist until there is a change in current weather conditions or reduction in dust emissions.

People with chronic underlying medical conditions should postpone strenuous exercise until the advisory is lifted. Staying indoors and in air-conditioned spaces helps to reduce particulate exposure. Exposure is particularly a concern for infants, the elderly and those who have diabetes, and lung or heart disease.

On Saturday night, someone stole a magnetic memorial ribbon from her vehicle that was in honour of her cousin who was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

Cpl. Zachery McCormack was killed by an improvised explosive device on Dec. 30, 2009 along with three other soldiers and journalist Michelle Lang.

He had been in Afghanistan for only a few months when he was killed in the line of duty.

McCormack said her grandparents were in town from Alberta and gave her two of the magnetic ribbons, but while she was visiting friends at the Holiday Park Mobile Home Park in Winfield, someone stole the ribbon the same day she put it on her vehicle.

McCormack has had other, generic decals stolen from her vehicle before, but this time the theft touched a nerve because of the personal nature of the ribbon.

“It has a lot of sentimental value and I am trying to honour my cousin as best I can. To just up and steal it is kind of ignorant,” she said. “For someone to steal it right off my van is pretty low.”

A large donation will provide better ventilation for the Gleaners new automated bagging system.

The North Okanagan Valley Gleaners will be able to breathe a little easier while helping to create millions of meals a year.

A member of the Gleaners has donated $100,000 to the organization for a ventilation system for their new bagging system.

Brad Egerton, with the Gleaners, said the non-profit group recently installed a system that makes bagging the dehydrated soup base faster and more efficient.

But, it also generates a lot of dust so a ventilation system is needed.

“One of our greatest concerns is the safety of our volunteers so one of our volunteers has donated $100,000 to upgrade the system and remove the dust,” said Egerton, adding $35,000 of that money will be used to rebuild the 40-year-old vegetable dicer.

A new dicer would cost double that amount.

Egerton said the donation shows how much heart and caring Gleaners volunteers have.

The Gleaners produce up to 7 million meals a year.

“Our vision is to be at 13 million meals within the next couple of years,” he said.

The meals are sent around the world, including North Korea which is no easy feat considering the closed off nature of the communist country.

North Okanagan RCMP are providing more details on the explosive scare in Armstrong.

Const. Kelly Brett says just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, an officer was approached by a concerned citizen who found what they believed to be an explosive device on the 3100 block of Smith Drive.

Police found a small device that had the appearance of a hand grenade sitting on top of a cement barrier.

“As a precaution, the area was immediately evacuated and the streets closed for the safety of the public until we could determine what it was we were dealing with,” said Brett. “Out of an abundance of caution, the scene was secured overnight until the device could be examined by specifically trained officers from the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit.”

Just after 10 a.m., the bomb squad arrived and confirmed the device was a modified grenade, but was no risk to public safety.

“Although the device was rendered safe, EDU collected the object and disposed of it in a safe and controlled manner, so it does not end up in the wrong hands again,” said Brett.

Police are still investigating when and why the device was left.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at 250-545-7171 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.nokscrimestoppers.com.

UPDATE 3:04 p.m.

RCMP have released a video of how they disposed of the explosive device found in Armstrong Tuesday evening.

This avalanche came down on SilverStar Mountain Wednesday afternoon. A second avalanche came down on the Putnam Creek area, injuring one person.

One person was flown to hospital by air ambulance following an avalanche at SilverStar Mountain Resort.

In a press release, officials with SilverStar said due to warming in temperatures, an isothermal avalanche occurred at SilverStar Mountain Resort on Wednesday afternoon.

An isothermal avalanche is when all layers of the snowpack are at the same temperature, typically at the freezing point, and often refers to a snowpack that is wet throughout its depth. This condition typically occurs in the spring or after many cycles of melting and freezing.

The incident happened just after noon on a double-black-diamond run on SilverStar's Putnam Creek. SilverStar said one male was involved in the incident and was transported to hospital by BC Air Ambulance.

Chantelle Deacon, spokesperson for SilverStar, said the extent of the man's injuries are not known at this time.

Deacon also said this is the first avalanche the Star has ever had.

SilverStar's backside, Putnam Creek has been closed to deal with the incident and will remain closed until further notice. SilverStar will provide more information as it becomes available.